Oliver Haslam on May 15, 2021, 12:21 am

FDA Looks Into iPhone 12 MagSafe Pacemaker Interference And Deems Patient Risk Low

Since Apple released the iPhone 12 lineup and MagSafe there have been concerns that those magnets could impact a person’s pacemaker.

Obviously that isn’t something you want to happen, so the US Food and Drug Administration has investigated the situation and issued its guidance.

According to the FDA it has looked into MagSafe’s impact on medical devices and deemed that the “risk to patients is low” and that it is not aware of any “events” that have been caused by MagSafe.

However, the FDA does still suggest that people with electronic devices keep them at least six inches away from implanted devices, meaning they shouldn’t put their iPhone 12 in their breast pocket. Beyond that, talking to their healthcare provider is the best cause of action for anyone concerned.

From now on, however, the FDA does warn that patients should be aware of the potential risks of using electronic devices when they have a medical device fitted.

As a result of these actions, today we’re taking steps to provide information for patients and health care providers to ensure they are aware of potential risks and can take simple proactive and preventative measures. We believe the risk to patients is low and the agency is not aware of any adverse events associated with this issue at this time. However, the number of consumer electronics with strong magnets is expected to increase over time. Therefore, we recommend people with implanted medical devices talk with their health care provider to ensure they understand this potential risk and the proper techniques for safe use.

Apple already warns iPhone 12 owners that they should be aware of the strong magnets within them, including the MagSafe accessories like cases and chargers.